Brockton summer program attracts 1,000 youths

The Enterprise of Brockton, Mass.
www.enterprisenews.com
By Maria Papadopoulos, ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
The Brockton After Dark nighttime activities range from basketball and soccer to ballroom dancing and acting.
BROCKTON -- Kioni Cole swung her arms as she tried to impersonate a dancing zombie during Michael's Jackson's "Thriller" Wednesday night.
"Even if you don't know how to dance, you come here and you learn how to dance and you make new friends," said Cole, 13, of Brockton.

She was among several youths taking part in a hip hop dance class Wednesday at the War Memorial Building on West Elm Street during the final week of the Brockton After Dark program.

This year, the program served more than 1,000 youths in July and August at nine sites across the city, said Koren Cappiello, program director.

The nighttime activities, which are free for participants, ranged from basketball and soccer to ballroom dancing and acting. Some sites served food and beverages.

Brockton After Dark began in the city five years ago. More than 50 local residents volunteered this year at the various program sites.

The nighttime youth program has been vital in keeping city youths occupied during a spate of shootings in the city in recent weeks, some said. Three city teens, ranging in age from 14 to 18, have died from gun violence this year, while another 18-year-old was critically injured.

"It's critical," Bob Martin, the city's human services administrator, said of the summer program.

The program, which cost $75,000 to operate this year, is funded by the city, state and private businesses, Martin said.

Darrell Washington, a recent Brockton High School graduate planning to attend Northeastern University, took part in Wednesday's hip hop dance class.

"It's a good program. It keeps a lot of kids off the streets," said Washington, 18. "It keeps people active, doing good things in the world, so I like it."

Rachel Smith, 15, warmed up by doing stretching and breathing exercises with other budding actors in Wednesday's acting class at the War Memorial Building.

"It's really awesome. It's a lot of fun, and it's something to do," Smith said.

But, Martin said, "there's such a potential to do so much more."

"Always the question is, 'How do we involve more youths?'" he said. "There's so many young people that could take advantage of this."

Maria Papadopoulos can be reached at mpapadopoulos@enterprisenews.com.

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